'Life of Pi' star Suraj Sharma takes college exam

New Delhi, Nov 23: Nineteen−year−old debutant Hollywood actor Suraj Sharma wrote his exam at St. Stephen's college here Friday even as his movie "Life of Pi" hit theatres across India.

"He was cleared Thursday and wrote his exam Friday," St. Stephen's principal Valson Thampu told IANS.

Sharma's appearance at his semester examinations was under a cloud since he lacked the requisite minimum attendance and had not submitted assignments as asked by the college authorities. He faced the threat of missing all his exams in case he was not issued the admit card by Delhi University before Friday.

Sharma is a first−year Philosophy (Honours) student at St. Stephen's College.

When asked as to how the college finally acquiesced to Sharma taking his exams, Thampu denied any knowledge. "These decisions are taken by others, not me. You will have to ask them," he said.

Sharma had already missed the first test, Hindi, as he was busy in the promotion tours of his film.

If he had not been allowed to write the exams, Sharma would have lost an entire year as he would have had to take admission into the same semester he had failed to complete.

"Life of Pi", based on Yann Martel's novel of the same name, is directed by Hongkong−based director Ang Lee and also stars actors Irrfan and Tabu besides Sharma.

Before Sharma, captain of India's under−19 World Cup winning team and a fellow Stephanian, Unmukt Chand, wasn't allowed to sit for his first year exams because he was short of attendance. Later, Delhi University permitted him to move to second year with the proviso that he would have to clear his first year exams along with the third and fourth semesters of second year.